How to Prepare Students for the Gig Economy

The job market your students will enter is not the one you prepared for.

Today, over 25% of the U.S. workforce—about 42 million people—take part in the gig economy.¹ And demand for gig work increased 41% between 2016 and 2023.²

Gig economy jobs are reshaping how people work and how they think about their careers. I know because I’m one of them. 

After more than a decade as a traditional, full-time employee, I transitioned to freelance writing. In this article, I’ll share what I’ve learned firsthand and how you can equip your students with the skills, mindset, and experience they need to succeed in the gig economy.

What Is the Gig Economy?

The gig economy is a labor market where individuals work temporary jobs built around specific tasks or projects. Instead of working full-time for a single employer, gig workers complete projects with multiple clients.

The gig economy includes workers in a variety of contingent work arrangements:

• Freelancers 
• Consultants
• Independent contractors

Independent workers like me don’t operate like traditional employees. We choose our own projects and clients. And we decide when, where, and how much we work.

While some view gig work as more of a side hustle, more than half of independent workers (myself included) make a living exclusively freelancing.³ You most often find these independent professionals in the following industries:

• Creative services (e.g., writing, graphic design, video production)
• Skilled technical services (e.g., architecture, web development)
• Skilled professional services (e.g., accounting, legal, marketing)³

Thanks to advances in technology and a growing desire for flexible work following the COVID-19 pandemic, this isn’t an unusual form of employment. The World Bank estimates the number of global gig workers up to 435 million.²

And the largest demographic? Young adults. According to the Federal Reserve, 30% of students and 26% of 18–29-year-olds earn income through gig work.⁴

Benefits of the Gig Economy

Why do millions of people choose gig work vs. traditional employment? 

For me, the biggest benefits of the gig economy are autonomy and flexibility. I set my own hours and choose the types of projects I enjoy. I get to diversify my experience and work with clients around the world—without uprooting my family. Compared to my years as a permanent employee, I have a better work-life balance and feel more fulfilled with my work as a freelancer.

And I’m not alone. Job satisfaction is high among independent workers.⁵ According to a 2024 TransUnion report, 71% of gig workers said flexibility was their top reason for choosing gig work.⁶

This flexibility also gives traditional, full-time employees a way to supplement their income. Platforms like Upwork, TaskRabbit, and Fiverr make it easy for gig workers to connect with clients.

If your students are interested in building a career on their own terms or getting a taste of entrepreneurship, they might enjoy the gig economy.

Challenges of the Gig Economy

While the flexibility is appealing, the gig economy is not without its challenges. 

Independent workers are responsible for their own taxes and insurance. They get no paid time off, no healthcare benefits, and no employer-sponsored retirement plans. So financial literacy and business skills are essential.

When I first started freelancing, I had to figure out how to:

• Insure myself and my work
• Price and market my services
• Create contracts and invoices
• Estimate and file quarterly taxes

Even after the initial learning curve, independent work can be isolating and unpredictable. When business is good, you need to manage multiple clients and competing deadlines. Yet as industries change or the economy takes a turn, work can dry up. With these challenges, it takes discipline, resilience, and adaptability to be successful in the gig economy. 

There’s also no guaranteed paycheck in the gig economy. Wage theft is one of the biggest issues gig workers face. According to the Freelancers Union, 71% of freelancers struggle to get paid. As of July 2025, union members have reported more than $8 million in unpaid invoices.⁷

How to Prepare Students for the Gig Economy

So how can you prepare your students for this new world of work? Here are four ways you can help:

1. Foster an Entrepreneurial Mindset

People who succeed in the gig economy think like entrepreneurs. They spot opportunities, solve problems, adapt to changing circumstances, and take calculated risks. 

You can nurture an entrepreneurial mindset in your students through: 

• Innovation challenges
• Project-based learning
• Field trips to local startups

2. Build Transferable Skills

Independent workers wear many hats. As a freelance writer, I’m also an accountant, salesperson, and project manager—sometimes all in one day! 

To thrive in the gig economy, your students must be able to:

• Manage their time and finances
• Communicate effectively
• Work independently

Consider Savvas CTE courses like Intuit Personal Finance to improve your students’ financial literacy or Communication Skills for Business to develop their professionalism in different work scenarios.

3. Explore In-Demand Fields

In addition to transferable skills, help your students build the creative and technical skills that are in demand in the gig economy. Skills like:

• Programming
• Digital marketing
• Graphic design and animation

Expose your students to different industry opportunities and enhance their versatility in the job market through:

• Interdisciplinary courses
• Extracurricular activities
• Career exploration

4. Offer Real-World Experience

Connecting classroom learning with real-world experiences helps students apply their skills and start to build a portfolio they can use to land work in the gig economy. What resources or support can your school provide?

• Service-learning projects with community organizations
• Internships or freelance projects with local companies
• School-supported partnerships with gig platforms
• Guidance on building a portfolio, networking, etc.

Whether your students dream of becoming self-employed, freelancing their way through college, or exploring their career options through gig work, real-world experience gives them the foundation they need to succeed.

Empower the Next Generation of Gig Workers

The gig economy is here to stay—and I can say from experience it’s a viable career option for your students. By equipping them with the right skills, experience, and mindset, you can prepare your students for the gig economy.

References

• 1 - “How many gig workers are there?” Gig Economy Data Hub. https://gigeconomydata.org/basics/how-many-gig-workers-are-there.html
• 2 - “Working Without Borders: The Promise and Peril of Online Gig Work.” World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/ebc4a7e2-85c6-467b-8713-e2d77e954c6c
• 3 - “2024 Freelance Economic Impact Report.” Fiverr. https://www.fiverr.com/freelance-impact
• 4 -“Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024: Employment and Gig Work.” Federal Reserve. https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/2025-economic-well-being-of-us-households-in-2024-employment-and-gig-work.htm
• 5 - “Gig Economy in the U.S.” Statista. https://www.statista.com/topics/4891/gig-economy-in-the-us
• 6 - “Fall 2024 US Gig Economy Report.” TransUnion. https://www.transunion.com/report/us-gig-economy-fall-2024
• 7 - “World’s Longest Invoice.” Freelancers Union. https://freelancersunion.org/longest-invoice/